08.01.2007

Speedy teams up with Unic

Speedy Lifting, the material handling division of Speedy Hire, has agreed a strategic alliance with GGR-Unic, the European region master distributor for Unic mini cranes.

The deal will see all of Speedy Lifting’s 70 locations - including the Lifting Gear Hire outlets acquired in late 2006 – offer its customers mini cranes and vacuum handling equipment from Unic-GGR.
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A Unic mini crane at a Speedy Lifting location

In order to cope with the extra market coverage GGR-Unic is expanding its UK mini crane rental fleet to over 50 units and expanding its two premises.

In the South it is expanding its southern depot in Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, to provide a total of 26,000 square feet of workshop space, dedicated training facilities and training yard. While in it is relocating its Manchester HQ to larger, purpose-built premises directly adjacent to the M60.

Claudio Veritiero, managing director of Speedy Lifting, said: “As pressure for tower crane time on site increases, added to the focus on removing manual handling where possible, we are seeing demand for machines that can operate where access and working space are restricted.

Mini cranes are increasingly being identified as the ideal lifting tool for these areas and this partnership will allow us to offer an enhanced lifting solution for confined working environments.”

Gill Riley, managing director of GGR-UNIC, added: “Speedy and GGR are like-minded dynamic, progressive companies and this alliance will help open up the mini crane and vacuum lifting equipment market across the UK.

In spite of comparatively rapid growth in recent years, the mini crane market is still relatively untapped and we see it as ripe for further expansion, fuelled by major construction projects like the 2012 Olympics.

Speedy Lifting is ideally placed to help achieve this, offering genuine nationwide coverage through their depot network. We have increased our mini crane hire fleet to 50 machines and recruited additional personnel in preparation for this challenge and are looking forward to a very successful partnership.”

Vertikal Comment

While informal tie ups between specialist mini crane and general rental companies are not new, this agreement is likely to take such collaborations into a different league.

With staff at the 70 dedicated Speedy lifting depots being trained up on Mini cranes and where they might be used, not to mention the incorporation of them into the Speedy Catalogue, the effect is likely to be extremely positive for the development of the UK mini crane market.

As with powered access this is a product where the concept needs to be sold, potential users are currently managing to carry out their work using other methods. The more salesmen knocking on doors - the more units sold and rented.

If all goes according to plan then it is highly likely that Speedy, HSS, Hewden Hire and other general rental chains will start to purchase these machines in quantity for their own fleets.

For GGR the tie up is also likely to generate interest from end users to purchase their own units, now that they have a wider opportunity to rent such equipment.

As with Powered access take up of such a product is all about easy availability.